Unbelievable - I find on my 4 month old Mustang that a bracket from the metal fuel cell cover to the fuel lines is missing, and obviously never installed! So my fuel lines, visible thru the rear drivers side well, shake and vibrate. My dealer won't warranty, as the part is missing and they don't have a part to send back to Ford. PO'd, I call Ford Consumer Affairs. They tell me that I had two days after I purchased the car to find anything missing, and after that initial inspection period I'm on my own. I'm waiting for the fuel lines to give and create a fire - unbelievable Ford won't warranty! So you Mustang owners, you might want to check yours for this bracket. BTW - the bracket cannot be ordered separately - you need to order the whole metal fuel cell cover assembly! Over $200. Funny, as this 6" long bracket is held on by a couple 1/4-20's.

My third Ford in about five years - no more! Have to change my user name now :^) No longer a fan.

Any suggestions, outside of finding a wrecked one and getting the part as spare? I'm also going to spend a bit of time to contact government agencies on this, as it is a serious safety issue IMO.

And anyone buying a new Ford - looks like you have to inspect EVERYTHING before you pull it out of the lot in order to be warrantied (if the part is missing). Absolutely idiotic - do we need to open engines to be sure all the parts are there?

 

Write NHTSA, CC'ing Ford HQ. An obvious fire safety hazard should easily get their attention.

 

I have a suspicion that since it's probably not a common discovery that it won't get much, if any, attention. Simply fuming that such a common sense, do-the-right-thing-by-the-customer attitude isn't in Ford's interest. I've owned Fords all my life, and very often there were small new car issues which were always handled by the dealers without any issues (and they ran great thereafter). Appears not the way they do business anymore.

 

I can see Ford not covering this under warranty. If there is no defective part to return you open up a can of worms with dealers cheating and screwing them. Your dealer that has sold you 3 Fords in the last 5 years should just step up to the plate for a couple of hundred dollars and make it right for you.

 

How is it that you even discovered this part missing?

Have you looked at other cars to see if the part is there?

 

Rotating the tires, I see easily when removing the drivers rear that there are fuel lines with a plastic fitting - barbed like you find holding interior carpet to the floor, plastic moldings, etc. - coming from the fuel cell. So it got my curiosity - why would this fitting be on there and not go to anything? So I went to my dealer and looked under all their Mustangs, and there I see a metal bracket holding the lines to the fuel cell cover. Without it, they vibrate quite easily when I tap on them. I can see these failing over time!

Agreed - my dealer sucks! Didn't used to, but there were a number of issues with the recent Mustang purchase. BTW - let me give credit where it's due - Spring Hill Ford in East Dundee, Illinois.

And there IS a defective part to return!!!! The bracket is part of the metal fuel cell cover; you cannot get the bracket alone. So if the bracket is missing on the assembly, replace the **** assembly!

 

Go directly to the GM at the dealer and put it on him, tell him you don't want to have to resort to litigation to resolve the problem. Explain to him that it'll cost them way more to hash it out in court than to just fix it.

 

Go to the GM, then a simple visit from a media investigator looking for a story will remedy this quickly.

 

I would not have called Ford Consumer Affairs. They are just an answering center in "who knows where".
First try this:
https://secure.ford.com/footer/conta...eServiceIssues
If this doesn't get a response...
I would contact the Ford Regional Manager on this.
If your local dealer won't help you, that is the next step.

 

Service Manager went to the General Manager - he's the one who dictated "no warranty".

Thanks for the Ford link - maybe that'll get some attention. Don't know local media would even touch this one.

How can I find out who the Regional Manager is in my area? The dealership sure isn't going to help me on this one. Their attitude is "don't care". Odd, as I did not do anything to **** 'em off - yet.......

 

You have to deal with people face to face in deals like this, you can't be sure the service manager actually taked to the GM about it, he could have just been blowing smoke.

Like I posted, explain it to the GM how it will be in his and the dealerships best interest to avoid litigation over the deal.

 

Screw the Dealer. Waste of time. Take a digital pic of yours and a correct Mustang. Certified letter to Mulally. Be pointed but professional. Your safety (and others) could be at stake - regardless if your cheap **** dealer supposedly can't get credit for a defective part.
Mention you have media and regulators who would surely want to know if Mulally/Ford doesn't rectify promptly thru the Dealer. Be sure and name the dealer and person so they get a butt chewin'.



Alan Mulally
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ford Motor Company World Headquarters
One American Road, Suite 1026
Dearborn, MI 48126-2798

 

I would think that if it only comes as a part of a larger piece than the whole 200.00 part is defective and should be warentee??? If thats how it,s sold than that part is defective and the dealer dose have a part to return?

 

I did go into the dealership; saw the SM go to the GM. Wasn't going to argue - the decision was made. They've been liars, cheats and asses thru this whole Mustang purchase, from lying about who/where/what rustproofing was performed (which technically now voided Ford's rust warranty - yeah, I shoulda known better but they told me their Ford qualified mechanics do it on site with Ford materials, so warranty stays in effect. Didn't happen that way), to not getting the proper new car prep service, to having rustproofing on the car body (and still there in some areas), etc. etc. etc. Even had one of their contracted part drivers hit me up in the waiting room for a dollar for the vending machine! This place has really turned rotten in the last few years.

The point is that not only did my dealer say "no warranty", so did Ford Consumer Affairs. Regardless of FCA credibility, that's Ford's corporate stance.

So yes, the dealer isn't stepping up - they suck! But neither is Ford! They now suck, too. Still love my Stang! My disgust is a corporate thing, not a product thing. So a bracket was missed; stuff can happen - make it right before the thing goes up in flames. Isn't asking too much, yes?

Sorry - frustrated over stupidity. Cannot believe the hoops I need to jump thru to get the right thing done.

 

They should fix it, try a different dealer?

 

But common sense doesn't seem to apply anymore.

From what I've been told by BOTH the dealer and FCA, conclusion is should a part fall off your car and you don't have that part, it won't be covered under warranty.

I understand that there's an opportunity for dealers to cheat on warranty claims, hence the policy. But there's no common sense to it. And in this case, there's what remains of the assembly. But since I don't have the part that wasn't ever installed, I cannot make a claim?!?

So learn from my misfortune - check every inch of your new car before driving it away. Your factory warranty does not cover any part that was missed during manufacture.

 

"Fuel Cell Cover"? What part are you talking about exactly? 2010s have a fuel cell as standard equipment?

 

Looks like the fuel cell is plastic? Covered with a metal shell which bolts to the car, protecting the cell. Likely a safety thing. This shell has, among other features, a bracket about 6" long; 1.5" wide, that is bolted to it (about 6" off center toward the drivers side, facing the front of the vehicle. Fuel lines come out of the tank and go around the front of the cell. These lines should be braced by this bracket, otherwise they flutter about. Fuel lines attach to the bracket using a barbed plastic fitting. You can easily see this assembly thru the drivers sider rear wheel well with single exhaust; stick your head under the rear for dual exhaust. Both V6's and V8's have it.

 

Sorry....fuel cell = gas tank

 

is this the cover you are talking about?


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